Fret for musical instruments



Sept. 10, 1929. c. F. SMITH 1,727,620

FRET FOR MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS Filed June 4, 1927 gwuemtoq Patented Sept. 10, 1929.

PATENT OFFICE.

CLINTON E. SMITH, OF ATTLEBORO, IVIASSACHUSETTS.

FRET FOR MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.

Application filed June 4, 1927.

The object of my invention is to provide a novel fret wire for musical instruments having lateral projections of novel shape to more securely embed it in the neck of the instrument on which the fret is used, and to provide a novel process of making a fret having such projections.

I attain the objects of my invention by the device illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a top plan view of the fret in place on the neck of a musical instrument;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the fret wire on a section through a portion of the neck of the instrument on line 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a section through the fret and neck of the instrument on line 33 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 4L- is a top view illustrating the alternate spacing of the bars.

Like numerals designate like parts in each of the views.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, the conventional wooden neck of the musical instrument is designated as 1 and in this neck is mounted the frets 2. My p 'ocess consists in forming on the lower portion of the fret wire at spaced intervals small lateral projections having the same general shape as the barb of afish hook adapted to securely embed themselves in the neck of a musical instrument to hold the fret wire more securely in place. The fret wire is manufactured in a continuous roll process. It is started in the form of coils of round wire weighing between and 100 pounds and it is finished in coils of finished fret wire of the same weight. The projections are preferably disposed in an alternate arrangement, and are not oppositely positioned, although arranged on opposite sides of the fret wire. Each of these frets con sists of a wire 4 having lateral projections shaped like the barb of a fish hook as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, which due to this peculiar shape permits of pushing the frets into place easily but project into the neck of the instrument to securely hold the fret in place and reduces the possibility of their coming loose when the instrument is in Serial No. 196,611.

use. Each fret also has a rounded top portion 3 over which the strings of the instrument are stretched.

The method of using my fret is shown in the accompanying drawings, the fret being pressed into the slots provided in the neck of the musical instrument and the fish hook barb-shaped projections 5 functioning to securely hold the fret in place.

The fret performs the usual functions of frets namely, providing means for stopping vibrations of the strings at spaced portions on the necl: of the instrument to limit the vibrations of the strings and produce the desired musical tones.

Vl hat I claim is l. A for musical instruments comprising a fret wire having barbs projecting" laterally into the neck of the instrument adj acent the slotted portions in which the fret wire is embedded, the barbs projecting be yond the shank of the fret to frictionally hold the fret wire in place.

2. A fret wire for musical instruments having a rounded top portion extending longitudinally of the wire, and havinga series of barbs projecting laterally into the neck of the instrument beyond the shank of the fret adjacent the slotted portions in which the fret wire is embedded, the barbs projecting beyond the shank of the fret to frictionally engage the neck of the instru ment whereby to securely hold the fret wire in place, the barbs being dispos d in an alternate arrangement in opposite sides of the fret but not opposite to each other.

CLINTON B. SMITH. 

